SouthCoast Energy Challenge

Monday

Dec 24, 2012 at 12:01 AM

SAVINGS ACTION 57: Make your holiday lights as efficient as possible

SAVINGS ACTION 57: Make your holiday lights as efficient as possible

One of the best things about the holiday season is seeing neighborhoods light up with festive, colorful decorations. However, these lights can cost the homeowner a significant amount of money to run all season. To help you save some money this holiday season, here are a few tips to help keep your holiday lights as efficient as possible.

Pay attention to the kind of bulb you are using. Do you have a pack of string up bulbs you've been using for 10 years? Those bulbs are much less efficient than their modern counterparts and should be replaced. Try using LED holiday lights this year instead of the traditional bulbs. The LED lights use anywhere from 50-90 percent less energy than traditional holiday lights and can save you $1-$2 per strand on your utility costs this winter. If you use 10 strands of LED lights you have the potential to save $10-$20 this holiday season. Ten strands of LED lights will only produce approximately 3.9 kg of CO2 throughout the holiday season while standard lights will produce 16.6 kg of CO2.

Don't leave your lights on all night. Try using a timer or simply remember to unplug your lights before you head to bed.

Difficulty: Easy

Cost: $10 per box of LED lights

Savings: $1-$2 per strand of LED lights on your holiday utility bills

Environmental Impact: Using LED lights will stop 12.7 kg of CO2 from being emitted this holiday season.

Take the challenge and learn more about saving energy. Visit: www.SouthCoastEnergyChallenge.org

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